A woman traveling alone around the world has shared the “genius” lies she tells others in a bid to stay safe abroad – even going so far as to wear a fake wedding ring.
When Oregonian Rebecca Tribelhorn began traveling alone by plane around the world, she always knew her safety was the top priority, so the solo traveler decided to get creative.
The 32-year-old, who has visited more than 40 countries from Ireland to Mexico, has lied during her travels about her marital status and her ability to speak English.
Now, after 10 years of traveling alone, the travel photographer has cultivated quite a reputation for sharing her quirky tips and tricks online.
She urged other female travelers to always trust their instincts and lie regularly because others may assume they are looking for romance.
Oregon’s Rebecca Tribelhorn has revealed the ‘genius’ lies she tells to stay safe while traveling abroad (pictured from Ecuador)
The solo traveler of more than ten years revealed that she often lies about her relationship status to stay safe, even going so far as to wear a fake wedding ring (pictured in Mexico).
“Always trust your instincts and tell lies if necessary,” Rebecca instructed.
‘You will be asked if you travel alone almost all the time. It’s (usually) innocent: just people who are curious or want to know more about you.
He added: “Despite this, I always recommend lying and saying that you will meet a friend, family or partner later.”
Rebecca explained that some often misunderstand that a woman traveling alone is actively looking for a romantic partner.
‘Some people won’t really understand that you like to travel alone or just like being alone, and will simply take being alone as an open invitation.
“I’ve found that saying you have a boyfriend/partner/husband is much more effective at encouraging someone to leave you alone,” she said.
The backpacker even told solo travelers to wear a fake wedding ring if it “helps sell the lie” so they feel more secure, regardless of whether they are married or not.
One of Rebecca’s top safety tips abroad is to never reveal information about your accommodation.
She encouraged her fellow globetrotters to trust their instincts and always lie if necessary (pictured in Puerto Rico).
She explained that she often lies about her relationship status because many people see a woman traveling alone as “an open invitation” (pictured: Rebecca in Bolivia).
He also warned others to never reveal their accommodation as it could leave them vulnerable to having their items stolen or worse (pictured: Santorini, Greece).
He said this also helps reduce the risk of having your valuables stolen.
“Especially for women, it’s so important to have a place to come back to where they feel safe and secure,” Rebecca explained.
‘Lie and say you were jet-lagged when you arrived and don’t remember. You can even pick a random direction, point and say “in that direction.”
The 32-year-old also instructed others to never act confused or unfamiliar with an area as it could leave them open to being taken advantage of.
Rebecca believes that acting confident will reduce the likelihood of becoming a target, but if you need help, look for it at a local store or restaurant.
“I tell strangers I’ve been somewhere before to sell them a false idea of trust and knowledge,” he revealed.
‘When you travel, you run the risk of being scammed, and the people who would take advantage of you would love to know that you’re not up to their tricks.
“Even if it’s as ‘innocent’ as overcharging you on a taxi ride.”
But what is the most effective backpacker lie? Pretending he doesn’t speak English.
“This lie is perfect to use pretty much any time you don’t want to get involved,” the photographer added.
Rebecca encourages other backpackers to fake their sense of confidence and never appear “unknown” or “confused”, even if they are in a new place, as doing so could leave them vulnerable to scams (pictured: Zakynthos, Greece).
But what is Rebecca’s biggest lie of all? Pretending that she doesn’t know how to speak English. She says it’s the best lie when you don’t want to commit (pictured in Liguria, Italy)
Many flocked to the comments of an Instagram video where he shared numerous tips, joking that lies about travel were “always acceptable.”
“It’s versatile and is just a quick and not too rude way to unplug with minimal effort.”
Followers flocked to the comments of the Instagram video where she shared numerous safety tips for traveling abroad, and many of them told some white lies.
‘Ha, ha, yes!! Lies about travel are always acceptable,’ one commented.
A second joked: “After watching Taken I need all this advice.”
“Haha yeah…sorry I don’t speak English and moving around always works,” wrote a third.
Another chimed in: “I hate lying except when I’m traveling alone lol.”
“I even post my stories one or two stories later, so no one can know where I am right now.”
The seasoned solo traveler also gave some general advice on traveling the world alone.
Advising her followers to “start small,” she added: “Take a local weekend trip close to home where you can test your skills but still feel confident that you can return home if you need to.”
Rebecca shared that she would rather take precautions and take a second or two to lie than risk her safety and her trip (pictured: The Dolomites, Italy).
Handing out general advice to novice travelers, the 32-year-old recommends “starting small” and taking a weekend trip somewhere nearby to hone your travel skills (pictured in Bolivia).
“Then plan larger trips or join a group trip with other solo travelers.”
Rebecca believes that traveling is a great way to make friends and meet other people who are also passionate about traveling.
“In my experience, most people you meet traveling the world are good people.”
She continued: ‘I recommend telling these lies that will help protect you from what is perhaps a 10% chance that something bad could happen.
“For me, it’s worth protecting myself at the beginning rather than regretting that I didn’t take a few seconds to take a precaution to ensure my trip goes smoothly and without risk.”